Meet Amy Berry, a born-and-raised Annapolitan, mom of two, and the President & CEO of the Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce.
After 17 years in Dallas, where she built a career that took her from the Nashville music industry to the Chamber world, Amy jumped at the chance to move back home in 2018 with her husband and two teenagers.
The Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce is one of the most important organizations in our community, serving as the connection between local businesses, families, and the county we all call home. With 500+ members ranging from small local businesses to major employers, the Chamber advocates for a thriving local economy, creates networking and growth opportunities for businesses, and helps ensure that Anne Arundel County remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family. When local businesses thrive, our whole community benefits, from more jobs and better services to a stronger, more vibrant local economy for everyday families.
Tell us a little bit about you and your family! Where did you grow up? How long have you lived in area? How many kids do you have?
I am a born and raised Annapolitan, attended Annapolis Area Christian School and Anne Arundel Community College, and grew up in Edgewater. I left the area to finish college, which then led to getting married and raising a family in Dallas, TX. After being out of the area for 17 years, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to move back home in 2018 with my husband and two kids.
You are the president and CEO of the Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce! How did you get into your career? Tell us how you got started!
I don’t believe many people in our industry plan a Chamber of Commerce career path, as most people don’t even know what we do 🙂 I had a successful career in the Music Industry in Nashville (where I moved for college) and where I also met my then future husband, who lived in Dallas. After several years of dating long-distance, we got married, and I moved to Dallas, which meant I had to find a new career path. Event planning was a big part of my job at the record label I worked for, so I ended up landing an Events Coordinator job at a Chamber of Commerce in the Dallas suburbs. I worked my way up to President after a few years and then took a “pause” after my second child was born. That pause lasted less than a year as I was recruited for a part-time Membership/Marketing position at a neighboring Chamber, where I worked until moving back up here.
What does a typical day look like for you as a CEO and a mom?
Every day is different. My day most always starts (during the school year) with taking the kids to school (they got out of the bus habit after the COVID bus debacles). Then meetings ranging from staff to various committee meetings, membership discovery/on-boarding calls, to event planning, and more!
My husband has always traveled a lot for work, so our family has always been tied to the calendar to keep our schedules straight. CEO life has definitely increased the amount of required meetings, so balancing both of our schedules is a struggle at times. We are so fortunate to have a village of grandparents, family, and friends to help us!
What does success look like to you in this current chapter of life?
I always knew I wanted to be a Mom first and foremost. There was a time that I didn’t know if I would have that opportunity, so I never take that for granted. My kids are now 16 & 13 and rapidly approaching adulthood, so I don’t have that much time left to raise good humans. If I’ve raised them to be kind, confident, selfless, Jesus-loving citizens on this earth, then I’d say I’ve been successful. Having a career that fulfills me with people I enjoy is gravy!
With such an important role in your career and balancing motherhood, what is something you’ve had to “let go of”?
Ooof, that’s a tough one that I’m still figuring out. Having 500+ members that need something from you on top of your family can be exhausting. Having access to work from home makes it hard to step away to give my people 100% of me outside of office hours. So I’d say I’m still learning to set and follow those boundaries. I have learned over the years that I can’t say yes to every invite. If I already have two early morning events or evening events, I won’t say yes to anything else that week.
Taking my kids to/from school is one thing I’m trying to NOT let go of if my schedule allows. My kids are teens now, and those conversations we have in the car before and after school are so valuable and precious that I try to protect that time if possible.
How has your job shifted your perspective on Motherhood?
That nothing is as hard as Motherhood, and if I can do that, I can do anything! There is no manual and definitely not as many books and resources for teenagers 🙂 There were parts of this job that were intimidating to me and where my self-doubt kicked in. My kids are at the age where they are trying out for high school sports, so they are experiencing the very same emotions. It’s been so helpful to be able to share my career experiences, fears, and wins with them to boost their confidence. I tell them growth only happens when you're uncomfortable, so get out of your comfort zone and try hard things!
What’s something you love that’s just for you?
Having a hobby when raising my young kids was nearly impossible. However, now that they can supervise and feed themselves (or use DoorDash), I’m a pickleball addict and play as much as I can! My son is actually very good, and I love it when he plays with me.
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
Well, I’d say that I used to work in the Music Business or that I’m a pickleball addict, but I’ve already disclosed that! Hmmm…a fun party trick is that I can play “Oh Susanna” on the harmonica!
Best mom hack that makes your life easier.
Not a hack per se, but Amazon/Target! When a kid tells me last minute (or if I’m being honest, even in advance) they need something for a school activity or some friend’s party in two days, being able to purchase it on demand is a lifesaver! A hack I need to find…meal planning!
Name something you hope your children look back and remember about their childhood and you as their mama.
When they were young, I made an effort to do a lot of fun activities with them on my off days. I hope they remember me as that fun and care-free mama and that those memories overshadow some of the “no’s” and long workdays I have now. I also hope that I’ve set an example for my daughter to see that she can balance both a career and a family.
Best advice for mom guilt.
Grace. You have to give yourself grace. No working Mom has ever balanced it perfectly, and neither will you.
What’s your favorite family activity to do in the area?
We are big sports fans and Navy Football & Basketball season ticket holders. In the summer, we love being out on the water on whichever friend’s boat!
What have you learned from your children?
Managing a household is very similar to managing a business! I practice a lot of patience and conflict resolution at home, which can be applied in the workplace. Also, they keep me young and teach me all the latest music, slang, fashion, and technology trends!
Greatest gift about being a mom.
Humility, purpose & joy. As a mom, you are constantly putting others' needs before your own. I imagine a life without them, where I only had to think of my own ambitions, as being very boring and purposeless. My greatest joy is watching them do what they love!
Who has most influenced you to be the mom you are today?
I am lucky to have had the best example, my Mom. She is the most selfless person I know and also the best cook! I hope I am half the mom she is.
We love supporting local businesses! What are your favorite places in the Anne Arundel County area to:
Get coffee: Bean Rush or InGrano if I want fancy
Go on a date night: Edgewater Restaurant
Go out for a girls' night: Fox's Den
Go out to dinner as a family: Senor Chile
Get your hair done: Roxy at Studio Salon
Shop for your kids: Local Coast for my son, South Moon Under for my daughter
Get your nails done: Paint Nails in Annapolis Town Center…but just changed names to Hair + Space Blowdry & Nail Bar
Have fun as a family: In the summer, we love listening to live music at The Boathouse in Deale. In the winter, X-Golf!
Give back to the community: After being introduced as my Leadership Anne Arundel Project, I started volunteering at Opportunity Builders’ new nightclub, The Fuse. It’s a nightclub for both abled and disabled individuals to enjoy a night of live music, DJ, food trucks, bars, and dancing! They need volunteers once a month to help with check-in, bar tending, snack shack, etc., and it’s SO fun and rewarding!
The Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce is one of the largest chambers of commerce in Maryland, playing a strong advocacy role for businesses, fostering vibrant networking opportunities that help businesses expand their customer base, and providing unparalleled access to resources essential for businesses to grow and succeed throughout Anne Arundel County.
The Chamber has also become the leading business organization in the region, fostering communication, exchanging ideas, and facilitating effective collaboration on issues affecting business and economic development. In addition, the organization provides services and programs to meet the varied needs of its members and affiliates, which help them meet the challenges of a constantly changing business environment.
The Chamber of Commerce is known for creating innovative and workable solutions to problems and issues facing the City of Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, and the region. In everything it does, the Chamber of Commerce strives to make Annapolis and Anne Arundel County a better place to live, work, and do business.
For more information on becoming a member, upcoming social events, and more details about the Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce, visit annearundelchamber.org.
Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce
1910 Towne Centre Blvd #250 | Annapolis
